Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The many former (and some current pro) racers would all tell you that vintage racing is indeed real racing. Real race cars, wheel to wheel on real tracks. I guess you've got to do it, to know the difference. Many SCCA races, while also "non-professional" see "vintage" cars successfully competing with more current cars. SCCA racing is certainly real racing, contrary to the belief that if prize money is not awarded, its not "real".
To claim that the only real racing is for prize money, is nonsense.
Come try vintage racing. You'll find some world class drivers competing on world class tracks. Obviously it's not at the level of Formula 1, Le Mans, etc. It's for the pure joy of competing in these great older cars. But don't be mistaken, the competition is usually quite strong.
Fortunately, it's also accessible to the non-wealthy person who can join the fun without a big investment. You can buy a Formula V for $5k and be out there competing. In vintage racing, there is a huge level of camaraderie; you tend to come for the cars and stay for the people.
While driving around cones in a parking lot can be great fun, it's not remotely like wheel to wheel competition on a road course track.
I agree that there are some former pros in Vintage racing that race hard and put on a good show but in the past few years the increase in popularity has also brought out the guys with money and no racing skills but driving cars that are far superior to their talent. These guys can be found cruising around in the back of the pack.
Not enough racers and too many posers.
The SVRA does put on the best vintage racing but it is still racing for show.
I never thought much of autocross but to each his own.
While driving around cones in a parking lot can be great fun, it's not remotely like wheel to wheel competition on a road course track.
Yeah, one costs a lot more and has an element of danger. Other than that, pulling over 1 G laterally feels pretty much the same on a road course as it does on a coned airstrip. In some ways, due to the rapid fire nature of the course obstacles/corners/slaloms, etc in autocross, it CAN be a bit more "violent" feeling than road racing, where things happen on a much wider course and take much longer to occur. Iv'e seen autocrossers do real well at road racing, and road racers ending up having a hard time succesfully autocrossing, due to the way things unfold much faster and closer on a tight autocross course and having less room to come up with the correct "line." (i.e the difference between the right line and not getting though the course can ba mere inches in an autocross, where a road race corner might easily be taken in one of two or three lanes if another car is in the "proper" line).
I went to an autocross ONCE. Boring IMHO. No camber or elevation changes like a real road course and you stand around all day for a few lame 2-4 min runs.
yeah the standing around was kind of boring lol but I think it was a good first choice, I might do some other track events in the future. Can't afford a pure race car/truck to transport it as of yet lol
Leave it CDers to find something to ***** about in any thread.....
Anywho, congrats! Auto-X is a great time. Run what you brung, hang with some like-minded folks, and have a car to drive home at the end of the day. I did a bit of auto-X back in the day in my bone stock 09 Scion xB. Yes, I said it. xB. I ran HS, which about the lowest class out there, but it was a blast. I caught out quite a few folks, too. Turns out the car isn't half bad if you throw a decent set of rubber on it and get the back end to rotate a bit.
I gave up on Auto-X once I started doing motorcycle trackdays, though. As you found, while auto-x is fun, it's a lot of sitting around for relatively little driving time. With the motorcycle trackdays, you generally get 20 minutes every hour, plus there's no obligation to work the course.
I loved everything about Auto-X. The throttle control needed (especially on a FWD 300 whp car) is just crazy. Also, like others have said you can't looked ahead of you and think about what line you're going to take. If you don't know what line you're going to take before you get on the course, it can get a little squirly out there. I never did get a chance to race on a road course with my car, but the Auto-X experience is pretty awesome, especially if you can get the experience in a Formula SAE/V car.
Their AX days might cost a lil more, (I believe $225 a day now) but the course is not a sea of cones in a lot, its a smaller paved track basically, WITH pretty major elevation changes etc.. Also coached by professional racers/coaches. The regular events have minimal coaching though besides the morning track walk and what can be done in between runs. They are capped at 24 partipants per day right now though and you run both AXs seperate, and then combined in the afternoon. There is enough seat time that it usually clears out well before the official closing time. You can see the AXs next to the skidpad if you check out Lime Rock Park on google maps/satellite view.
We are starting to do "coaching days" as well with half the participants and double the instructors, for a lil more $$$. Everybody that partcipates is timed on the lower AX and the top 20 for the season are invited back for an invitational runoff with some small prizes. Check out the scoreboard and the variety of cars in the top 20 as of now. It really shows that its about the driver and not so much about the car.
Id be there working one this week, but Ill be busy this week working for GM and ripping the new C7 around Monticello instead.. let me know if you have any questions, but Im sure the links will paint a clear picture for you. Enjoy!
I could already tell youre looking at a set of coilovers ha!
Where is that meet? Looks like its next to a bridge?
Nice ride BTW. Seems like a good start.
Maybe Ill find an old Volvo and throw a 350 in it lol and come out to play!
you should! This one was at LAZ parking on Pequot St. in Hartford. The season is winding down but there is another one (same spot) October 5th. you can check cartct.com if you are interested in it, I may be at the next one but we will see I might need to pick up my winter tires that day
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Real race cars, wheel to wheel on real tracks. I guess you've got to do it, to know the difference. Many SCCA races, while also "non-professional" see "vintage" cars successfully competing with more current cars. SCCA racing is certainly real racing, contrary to the belief that if prize money is not awarded, its not "real". 
